| Most of this new technology in place is self | | | | ensure that only the most active Windows Live |
| explanatory, and is easily tested by monitoring a | | | | Hotmail accounts are included in a campaign. It is |
| Windows Live Hotmail email account. Determining | | | | imperative that dormant Windows Live Hotmail |
| whether or not your email message is eligible for | | | | accounts that show no activity for several |
| a Hotmail junk folder can be done by testing and | | | | months are culled, because after so much |
| adjusting message headers, subject lines and | | | | inactivity, those addresses are converted over to |
| content of email messages. | | | | spam traps, and any legitimate marketing still |
| Another new Hotmail practice is IP throttling, | | | | sending to them will be caught. |
| which restricts the number of inbound emails | | | | The Smart Network Data Services program, or |
| Hotmail will accept, per sender IP address until it | | | | SNDS, provides general information on Windows |
| reaches a consistent number of emails. Once | | | | Live Hotmail delivery issues for a specified mail |
| reaching that number, then "sending permanence" | | | | server. Simply add the mail server's IP address to |
| is established and the throttling is supposedly lifted. | | | | track and view where Hotmail is showing delivery |
| According to Microsoft, consistency of IP address | | | | problems. While the information is rather general, it |
| is imperative to reduce spam activity: | | | | is a valuable tool to help identify problems so they |
| Sending "permanence" (Consistency) - Sending | | | | can be addressed. |
| from the same IP address with consistent | | | | Some examples of what Windows Live Hotmail |
| volumes and frequencies month over month is | | | | sends on the SNDS program include spam filter |
| ideal. Spammers tend to "pop up" on an IP and | | | | results which are broken down into three |
| disappear. Infrequent senders who send large | | | | categories, Green, Yellow, and Red, based on an |
| volumes once a month or quarterly can be an | | | | aggregate score from a number of spam filter |
| indicator of a spammer or a compromised | | | | technologies in place. Unfortunately, the report |
| server." | | | | does not explain what triggers a yellow or red |
| What this means to new legitimate mass email | | | | score. A more valuable measurement is the spam |
| marketers is that there will be an elimination | | | | complaint rate, which is the number of complaints |
| period of sorts when sending to Windows Live | | | | divided by the number of emails in a 24-hour |
| Hotmail accounts. Until the magic threshold is | | | | period. Windows' recommended target is under |
| reached, a new sender, using an unfamiliar IP, will | | | | 0.3%. Once logged in, the SNDS provides a good |
| not have much success sending to Hotmail | | | | breakdown of each feature it has tracked and |
| accounts. Since Microsoft did not publish any of | | | | what the results mean. |
| the thresholds, the marketer will have to guess | | | | Windows Live Hotmail also introduced a new Junk |
| how many Windows Live Hotmail mail addresses | | | | Email Reporting program, where bulk email |
| to include in a campaign. | | | | senders are invited to apply to help alleviate spam. |
| Delivery strategies | | | | After supplying a bit of information for the |
| Some strategies to help keep up Hotmail | | | | program, more data is shared after your |
| deliverability until the IP is recognized is to break | | | | information is verified. |
| out the affected addresses from the main | | | | If nothing else, signing up for this program can |
| campaign, and send the list in smaller chunks, until | | | | help you keep track of what's going on with |
| deliverability improves. Another option is to | | | | Windows Live Hotmail -- the second largest email |
| determine which of these affected accounts have | | | | ISP provider on the Internet. Who knows, maybe |
| a history of being responsive. Recipients with no | | | | it will eventually help get rid of spam too. |
| opens or clicks recorded should be filtered out to | | | | |